The best smartphone is...

By Alex Serpo and Joseph Hanlon on 14 October 2008

Read all the latest reviews but still confused about what smartphone to buy? Our review round-up lets you decide what is important to you.

In our most comprehensive comparison of business-focused smartphones, we've broken down our rating criteria so you can find the best phone based on the criteria you consider most valuable. Selecting the tabs above the headline will re-order the list of best smartphones to fit our assessment of these criteria, with the best overall rating being a combination of these scores.

Best Overall

  1. 1.  Nokia E71

    Aesthetic 4.5 out of 5 Usability 4 out of 5
    Performance 5 out of 5 Connectivity 5 out of 5
    Features 4 out of 5 Value for Money 5 out of 5
    Overall 91% Editors' Rating 9.5/10

  2. 2.  Apple iPhone 3G

    Aesthetic 5 out of 5 Usability 5 out of 5
    Performance 3.5 out of 5 Connectivity 3.5 out of 5
    Features 4 out of 5 Value for Money 4 out of 5
    Overall 81% Editors' Rating 7/10

  3. 3.  BlackBerry Bold

    Aesthetic 4 out of 5 Usability 4 out of 5
    Performance 4 out of 5 Connectivity 4 out of 5
    Features 3.5 out of 5 Value for Money 3 out of 5
    Overall 80% Editors' Rating 8.5/10

  4. 4.  i-mate Ultimate 8502

    Aesthetic 3.5 out of 5 Usability 2 out of 5
    Performance 4 out of 5 Connectivity 5 out of 5
    Features 3.5 out of 5 Value for Money 3 out of 5
    Overall 77% Editors' Rating 9.1/10

  5. 5.  i-mate Ultimate 9502

    Aesthetic 3 out of 5 Usability 2 out of 5
    Performance 4 out of 5 Connectivity 5 out of 5
    Features 4 out of 5 Value for Money 3 out of 5
    Overall 76% Editors' Rating 8.3/10

  6. 6.  HTC Touch Cruise

    Aesthetic 4 out of 5 Usability 3 out of 5
    Performance 3.5 out of 5 Connectivity 5 out of 5
    Features 3.5 out of 5 Value for Money 2 out of 5
    Overall 76% Editors' Rating 8/10

  7. 7.  HTC Touch Diamond

    Aesthetic 4.5 out of 5 Usability 4 out of 5
    Performance 4 out of 5 Connectivity 4 out of 5
    Features 3.5 out of 5 Value for Money 3 out of 5
    Overall 76% Editors' Rating 6.7/10

  8. 8.  i-mate Ultimate 6150

    Aesthetic 3 out of 5 Usability 2 out of 5
    Performance 4.5 out of 5 Connectivity 5 out of 5
    Features 3.5 out of 5 Value for Money 4 out of 5
    Overall 72% Editors' Rating 8.3/10

  9. 9.  BlackBerry Pearl 8120

    Aesthetic 5 out of 5 Usability 4 out of 5
    Performance 5 out of 5 Connectivity 2.5 out of 5
    Features 2 out of 5 Value for Money 2 out of 5
    Overall 72% Editors' Rating 8.2/10

  10. 10.  Samsung i780

    Aesthetic 3 out of 5 Usability 3 out of 5
    Performance 3 out of 5 Connectivity 4 out of 5
    Features 4 out of 5 Value for Money 4 out of 5
    Overall 70% Editors' Rating 7.5/10

  11. 11.  Nokia E90 Communicator

    Aesthetic 2.5 out of 5 Usability 3 out of 5
    Performance 3.5 out of 5 Connectivity 4 out of 5
    Features 3 out of 5 Value for Money 1 out of 5
    Overall 68% Editors' Rating 8.5/10

  12. 12.  HTC TyTN II

    Aesthetic 3 out of 5 Usability 3.5 out of 5
    Performance 2 out of 5 Connectivity 4 out of 5
    Features 4 out of 5 Value for Money 1 out of 5
    Overall 68% Editors' Rating 7.2/10

  13. 13.  Nokia N95 8GB

    Aesthetic 2 out of 5 Usability 3 out of 5
    Performance 4 out of 5 Connectivity 4 out of 5
    Features 3 out of 5 Value for Money 1 out of 5
    Overall 68% Editors' Rating 8.3/10

  14. 14.  HTC Touch Dual

    Aesthetic 4 out of 5 Usability 3.5 out of 5
    Performance 3 out of 5 Connectivity 3 out of 5
    Features 2.5 out of 5 Value for Money 3 out of 5
    Overall 65% Editors' Rating 7.6/10

  15. 15.  Sony Ericsson W960i

    Aesthetic 3 out of 5 Usability 4 out of 5
    Performance 1 out of 5 Connectivity 4 out of 5
    Features 2.5 out of 5 Value for Money 2 out of 5
    Overall 62% Editors' Rating 7.6/10

  16. 16.  Motorola Q 9h

    Aesthetic 3 out of 5 Usability 3 out of 5
    Performance 4 out of 5 Connectivity 3 out of 5
    Features 2.5 out of 5 Value for Money 4 out of 5
    Overall 62% Editors' Rating 7.1/10

  17. 17.  Palm Treo 500v

    Aesthetic 3 out of 5 Usability 4 out of 5
    Performance 2 out of 5 Connectivity 2 out of 5
    Features 3 out of 5 Value for Money 4 out of 5
    Overall 60% Editors' Rating 7.1/10

Topics: aesthetic, rating, overall, connective, money, value, editor, performance, features

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Comments (14)

  • madmax commented on 20/06/2009 00:03 Report abuse

    N95 is a slug. all the touch screens are slugs. E71 smashes em all..

  • namfudd commented on 10/03/2009 12:17 Report abuse

    N95 8GB best fone in the world

  • Andy commented on 07/12/2008 10:57 Report abuse

    The Samsung Ultra Smart F700 is the best of all and it's not even on the list and the Iphone 3G is the worst phone out there!!!

    This is 100% biased.

  • Me commented on 15/10/2008 16:12 Report abuse

    How can you give the nokia n95 8gb a rating of only 68%???? Its far better than the nokia e71 and far superior to the Apple iphone 3g!!!

  • Me commented on 15/10/2008 16:11 Report abuse

    How can you give the nokia n95 8gb a rating of only 68%????

  • Grumpy01 commented on 14/10/2008 12:40 Report abuse

    what about the PalmTreo Pro???

  • buddylove commented on 08/10/2008 15:17 Report abuse

    I have had the advantage of using Iphone, e71 and BB Bold on trial from www.telaustralia.com.au and they are all great but with slightly different strengths and weaknesses. The iphone is not the best business phone. The e71 is. Idf it is email then Bold wins and for other more entertaining applications the iphone is the winner. It depends on what you want.

  • rwm commented on 01/10/2008 16:13 Report abuse

    iPhone only 7/10. Yet the if you add the star ratings you get 25 out of 30 (8.3 out of 10) By contrast Blackberry Bold got 8.5, yet only got 22.5 out of 30 stars! (7.5 out of 10) Perhaps the editor is a little biased. iPhone deserves at least an 8. Add the app store and the fact it is the only phone with OSX and it really should be a 9, and on anyone's short list. (yes it is a quiet day at work :)

  • Tobi commented on 10/09/2008 00:48 Report abuse

    hey... where is samsung omnia? that GREAT smartphone is not in the list?!?!?

  • mobileaddict commented on 05/09/2008 01:11 Report abuse

    The HTC Touch Pro should have topped the list... finding it nowhere among 10, i'd call this list biased...!!

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